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F. H. HAWKINS. ELECTRIC SIGN.

No. 573,088. Patented Deo. 15, 1896.

UNITED STATES `PMENT Grinch.

FREDERICK IVI. IIAVKINS, `OF N EW` YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO L. A. HAY- IVARD, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 573,088, dated December 15, 18916. Application filed January 13, 1896. Serial No. 575,399. (No modela To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I-I. HAW- KINs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 125 East Fifteenth street, city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in luminous signs, and it will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sign embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. section of a modified form of sign which has letters on both of its sides. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section, of a modified form of sign which embodies a body and a plurality of chambers arranged on the body and each containing one letter. Fig. Gis a front elevation of a portion of a modified construction of sign. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a sign-letter designed and adapted-to be connected to an ordinary incandescent-clectric-light fixture. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same; and Fig. l0 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a modified form of sign embodying my invention.

Referring by letter to said drawings and more particularly to Figs. l and 2- thereof, A indicates a chamber of rectangular or other suitable form, which may be made of any material suitable to the purposes of my invention and is designed to be exhausted of air for a purpose which will presently appear. This chamber A has a face or front wall a, of glass or other suitable transparent material, and in it is arranged one or more letters, figures, or symbols B, formed of filaments of carbon, a plurality of letters forming the word Electric being illustrated. The letters may be respectively formed of one or more filaments, as desired, and such filaments may be arranged and supported in the chambers A in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to connect them to suitable conductors b, which. extend through insulating material Fig. 3 is a transverse c in the rear wall d of the chamber and are designed to be electrically connected in a suitable manner (not illustrated) with asuitable elect-ric generator, which is also not illustrated. When the electrical circuit or circuits in which the letter-formin g filaments B are `arranged are closed and the current is sent th rough said iilamen ts, they will be heated to an incandescent heat and will form a highlyluminous and resplendent sign, which will be very prominent and readable in the dark, and which will serve the additional function of a lamp, inasmuch as it sheds considerable light.

rIhe sign described is readily readable in the daytime, but in order to render it more so I may, when desired, paint or otherwise form each letter in black or other suitable color upon the front side of the rear wall CZ of the chamber A in rear of the filamentformed letters B, as indicated by C.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a pendent or hang` ing sign embodying my invention. This sign has an air-tight chamber A', a longitudinal central partition CZ therein, the two faces a", of glass or other suitable transparent material, and the letters B', formed of carbon filaments and arranged on opposite sides of the partition d', and also arranged in an elect-ric circuit or circuits, as before described. Such sign may have the painted letters C in rear of the filament-formed letters, and as will be readily observed it may be read from two sides, and in addition will serve the functions of a lamp to light the place where it is hung or placed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings I have shown a modified construction in which each filament-formed letter B2 is arranged in a separate vacuum-chamber A2. These vacu nin-chambers A2 preferably have their faces and also their side walls formed of glass or other transparent material, although, when desired, only their faces a2 need be transparent, and they are designed and adapted to be arranged in a series upon a board or frame d2 and suitably connected to form a sign.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings I have shown a modified construction of chamber' A3, which, in addition to a rear wall cl3, has a partition-wall d, which serves, in conjunction IOO with the wall cl3, to form a space d5 for the reception of the eireni-twires d6, eonnected to the Iilament-forine'dletters In this construction I have also shown non-conducting supports b', which are connected to the Wall di, and are also connected to the letter B3 at intermediate points in the length thereof to assist in supporting the same.

In Figs. S and 9 is illustrated a chamber A", which is designed for connection to an ordinary incandescent-electric-lamp fixture. This chamber A1 has the body 17, of glass or other Suitable material, which is equipped with lugs d8 or other suitable means for connecting it to a lamp-fixture, the portion a3, which is designed to be hermetically connected to the body portion d7 and has a transparent face, the conductors b3, which extend through the body portion d'7, and the iilainent letter B4, Whiehis eonnected to the concluetors b3, as shown. Non-.conducting supports b4, .connected to the body (Z7 and to the letter B4, may also be employed, as illustrated.

The bhamber A4 is designed to be `connected to a fixture like those to which the ordinary incandescent lamps are connected, and a se ries of said ,chambers containing different letters will, when properly grouped, form a neat and attractive Vsign and one which will give out considerable light.

In Fig. l0 l have shown a modified construction of vacuum A5, which contains one o r more carbon filaments B7, of any suitable shape designed for electrical connection `with an electric generator, and is provided with a face-plate a7,which is painted or otherwise rendered opaque or partially opaque and has transparent portions B8, shaped to form letters. This sign will be easily readable in the daytime, and at night, when the electric ourn rent is sent through the carbon filament, the light afforded thereby will bring ont the letters in strong contrast to the darkness and will render the sign very noticeable and attractive.

With all of its advantages it will be appre- Ciated that my improved sign is not costly, and it will also be appreciated that it is designed to serve the twofold function of a sign and lamp and yet does not costualny more to maintain it thana lamp.

I desire it understood that Iilaments other than carbon filaments which are suitable to the purposes of my invention may, if desired, be used in lieu of carbon filament, and I therefore do not desire to be understood as conning myself to carbon filaments.

Having described my invention, what l Claim isl. A luminous sign comprising a vacuumchamber having a transparent face and also having a back Wall and a partition-Wall between the back Wall and face, a ilament or plurality of filaments of carbon or other suitable material arranged in said chamber between the partition-Wall and face thereof and shaped to form a letter, igure or symbol and conductors arranged between the partition and babel; walls and conneeted to the iilaments and adapted to be electrically connected With an eleetric generator, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A luminous'sign comprising a vacuumchamber having a transparent face, a filament or plurality of filaments of carbon or other suitable material arran ged in said chamber and adapted to be electrically `connected with an electric generator and shaped to form a letter, figure or symbol, and a eorresponding letter, figure or symbol formed on a background in rear .of the iilament letter, figure or symbol, substantially as speciiied.

3. A luminous sign comprising a Vacuumehamber having two transparent faces and also having a longitudinal central partitionwall, filaments of carbon or other suitable material arranged in said chamber on opposite Sides of the partition-Wall and shaped to form a letter, figure or symbol and conductors connected to the filaments and arranged in the partition and adapted to be electrically connected with an electric generator, substantially as speeified.

FREDERICK II. HAWKINS.

Titnessesz LAURA A. IIAYWARD, ELIZABETH LAMKIN. 

